Monday, July 09, 2007

TIT-for-TAT

According to the Times Union Local Politics Blog, the Rensselaer County District Attorneys Office has opened a file on Rensselaer County Democratic Chair, Tom Wade.

Presumably, the file involves allegations made by Dick Weaver that Wade required political contributions from patronage workers. Weaver worked for Wade thirteen years ago.From The Record:

His former employee Dick Weaver was out front last week at a press conference proclaiming he, "can no longer be silent."

Funny, he was silent for 13 years after he was fired from the Board of Elections by none other than "Boss Wade."

"I am ready to waive immunity and ready to meet anywhere and at any time to tell the special prosecutor what I know - that Tom Wade used his power as Rensselaer County Democratic Party Chairman to extort campaign contributions from the employees at the county Board of Elections," Weaver bellowed outside the county building last week.

OK, we have consulted with our legal staff, and what Weaver is proposing would probably be hearsay and not carry much weight with anyone. If there is an investigation into the allegations, our guess is whoever is doing the investigating would be better served by questioning employees who were actually assessed. Archie Robinson claims he was one of the employees, but it seems logical that in order to extort money from someone, there has to be an implied threat in case the money does not come forth - in this case, the employees' politically appointed jobs. But Robinson resigned, under pressure from Wade, after he coughed up the money, not because he refused. - Talespin 7/2/07

What exactly is Weaver going to tell a prosecutor? As pointed out above, anything current Weaver has to tell would be hearsay. It might be really, really good hearsay, but hearsay nonetheless.

Weaver also said he was ready to "waive immunity." Great! Thanks Dick. As empty gestures go, that's a fine one. Immunity from what? Why does Weaver need immunity? Did Weaver commit a crime? The fun thing about a grant of immunity is that it means you won't be prosecuted. Anything that happened at the Board of Elections thirteen years ago is well beyond any statute of limitations.

It's a tit-for-tat thing. Although, in this case, the tit* is far more interesting than the tat.

Also, Ed McDonough's recent letter to The Record should put to rest those silly rumors that the current Election Commissioner was going to throw the former Commissioner under the bus.** More wishful thinking.